Property Tax Rebate Okd In Lisle

But Village Manager Has Qualms About Offering Break

Despite reservations by Village Manager Carl Doerr, Lisle for the second year will offer a property tax rebate to residential property owners.

The Village Board unanimously approved the program at a meeting Monday night. In doing so, it rejected a recommendation by Doerr at a workshop last week.

"Taking into account the added personnel expenses we have and the flattening of the sales tax revenue, I suggest you not consider the rebate for the tax year 2000," Doerr said last week.

But board members disagreed.

"I don't see anything we hadn't anticipated before this year," said Trustee Luke Brandonisio, referring at the workshop to a financial report that lists the village's major tax revenues and is used to determine whether a surplus exists for the rebates.

According to the report by Mike Pippenger, assistant finance director, sales tax receipts were down by about $70,000 a month during the first five months of the current fiscal year while sales tax rebates were down about $60,000 a month during the same period. If the trend continues through the rest of the year, there could be a shortfall in sales tax revenue of $120,000 to $150,000, according to the report.

Although the village could have a $50,000 surplus in its infrastructure maintenance fee fund, the report cautioned that the village should retain those dollars because of a pending court action involving a telecommunications provider.

Another consideration is the almost $440,000 impact that salary revisions and additional personnel will have on the current budget.

But Brandonisio said it was important to have the same " consistent approach" in both taxes and rebates to residents.

"Nothing has precluded us not to continue," he said. "If the board had taken action [this fiscal year] that had a significant impact on the bottom line, that would be a change we could present to the residents. But since we have not yet made that kind of final decision, to not rebate this year would be wrong."

During the worekshop, Mayor Ron Ghilardi also backed continuing the rebate program.

"People are invested in this community, and when we are satisfied we have the funds, we should pay a dividend to those shareholders. I don't think we should forgo it if the dividend is available without jeopardizing our fiscal budget," he said.

The program will work the same as last year, Doerr said, with the board designating $350,000 in the budget.

Under the plan, residents could apply for a property-tax rebate between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31. Village staff likely would need about two months to process and verify the tax information before refunding payments in April 2001.

To be eligible for a rebate, residents must submit a copy of their real estate tax bill, utility bill and driver's license to prove residency.

An average rebate for the owner of a $225,000 home would be about $115. Last year, rebates ranged from $25 to $300, Doerr said.